Clasp.



G. P. EVANS. oLAsI APPLIOATION TILED JAN. 19. .1909.

1,023,559, Patented Apr; 16, 1912.

awucutoz CHARLES P. EVANS, OF MILTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

CLASP.

Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed January 19, 1909.

Serial No.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CHARLES P. EVANS, acitizen of the United States, residing at Milton, in the county ofNorfolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Clasps, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to clasps, and it relates particularly to thatclass of those articles of which an example is shown in the UnitedStates Patent No. 785,720, dated March 28th, 1905.

In the production of character shown in the patent referred to, it isessential that the smallest possible quantity of metal be-employed inorder that the article may be sufliciently cheap, light and flexible,and at the same time it is necessary that the clasp shall be rigid atthe point where a fabric is engaged and shall be of such form that theretaining parts shall be capable of uniformly contacting throughout aconsiderable length with the fabric so engaged.

The object which I have in View is to overcome the defects of the claspshown in the patent referred to and of others of the class, and withthis object in view the invention consists of the clasp having thegeneric and specific features substantially as hereinafter described andclaimed.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated several forms ofembodiment of the invention.

In these drawings,

the clasps of the Figure 1 is a representation of the blank from whichone form of the clasp is made; Fig. 2 is a view showing the outer faceof the clasp; Fig. 3 is a view showing the inner face of the clasp; Fig.4 is a transverse sectional view, the section being taken on line 4% ofFig. 2; Fig. 5 is a view of a modified form of fastener adapted forsecuring the flap of an envelop; Fig. 6 is a modified form adapted oruse on the retaining band of an umbrella; and, Fig. 7 is a view showinga modifled form of fastener adapted for use as a bundle fastener or fora like purpose.

The clasp in the first form illustrated in the drawing is of springmetal and is hookshaped in general contour. In this form the fastenerhas a main portion or body 1 provided in the upper end thereof with anelongated opening 2 furnishing means for attaching it to a garter or thelike in conconnection 3 towa slot 5 between the form. The arm i sectionproviding locking flange 7,

The edge is lmposed upon it in use it to coact with a lockin fabricengaged by the e arm 4, a

Th tapers from Patented Apr. 16, 1912.

t is to be used. The dy of the blank has prothe narrow flexible exformedthe arm t lly parallel to the herefrom by a slot of the body 1 formingone its s shown par point of j n upturned edge 6 engthen and stiffenwhere most strain and also to adapt g flange by which clasp is confined.

ticularly in Fig. uncture with the rd its end, thus giving the arm andthe body a taper s concavo-convex in cross a rigid support for the whichis formed with it,

and presents a convex exposed inner face which is incapable of enarticles with whi The flange 7 i and in shaping t such arm to ext thearm and also edge of the flange overla edge of the body of the flan thearm 4 and thickness of tl 1. The

go is connected gaging ch it contacts. s formed with the arm at, heblank is bent end over the outer face of over the slot 5. The inner psthe upturned entire outer edge with the edge of or injuring 1s as strongand rigid as the of the flan e metal of which the clasp ere is atendency to maintain ge parallel with the upturned edge 6 at all times,thus insuring the gras between th the flange.

The connection 3 is sli the body 1 so that th ferent plane from theinner face of th is as described join the arm, in the same plane theupturned ed edge 8 of the scribed is ownward from its outer topresentlng a V-sha such upper end and e lockin ed to the ge of the body1.

ping of a fabric interposed e parts throughout the length of ghtlyoffset from e arm 4 extends in a difthe body, thus bringing g flange 7which connection by as the face of The upper flange is preferablyinclined its inner edge ped opening between the body of the clasp.

The form of fastener hereinbefore deadapted particula rly for use as ahose supporter, but the essential features of structure be a 1e devicema y by slight dvantageousl purposes. For instance as modification of yused for other shown in Fig. 5

-from prongs 10 adapting it for of the drawing the fastener may beformed with a short body 9 having projecting thereattachment to paper orcloth and may be used with advantage as means for securing the flap ofan envelop.

In the form shown in Fig. 6 the body 9 of the fastener has an extension11, provided with an opening 12 for the reception of thread by which itmay be secured in place for use upon an umbrella to secure the free endof a retaining band.

In another modified form, shown in Fig. 7, each end of the body may beprovided with the securing means herein described, adapting it for useas a bundle tie or for a similar use.

In the use of the clasp a fabric to be engaged and retained is presentedto the V- shaped opening between the flange and the body of the clasp.The fabric is then drawn into the clasp and it passes between the flangeand the body thereof into the space 5 until it reaches the point ofjuncture of the parts. As the fabric is thus drawn in, the separation ofthe finger from the flange is permitted by a torsional movement of thatportion 3 of the metal of the clasp which connects the arm and the mainbody of the clasp. Inasmuch as only a slight distortion of theconnection is necessary to permit the separation of the finger andflange to admit the fabric and as no other part is distorted in suchseparation, the parallelism of the flange and the locking finger ismaintained. Thus the fabric is retained between the flange and the bodyby reason of the resiliency of the metal of the clasp by a pres surewhich is uniform throughout the length of the flange insuring a secureholding and avoiding undue pressure on the fabric at any point whichmight be liable to injure it while secured or during the acts ofengaging or disengaging it.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. A clasp comprising a body, an arm connected thereto, a slotseparating the body and the arm and a flange having one edge thereofconnected throughout its length to the 1 f---- Copies of this patent maybe obtained for five cents each, by addressing the arm and having theother edge overlapping the body, substantially as described.

2. A clasp comprising a body, an arm connected thereto, a slotseparating the body and the arm and a flange having one edge thereofconnected throughout its length to the arm and having the other edgeoverlapping the body, and means for securing the fastener in place foruse, substantially as described.

3. A clasp comprising a body, an arm connected thereto by a narrowflexible connection, there being a slot between the body and the arm,and a flange having one edge thereof connected throughout its length tothe arm and having the other edge overlapping the body, substantially asdescribed.

4. A clasp comprising a body, an arm connected thereto by a flexibleconnection, the arm tapering from the point of juncture with theconnection to its end whereby a tapering opening is formed between thebody and the arm, and a flange covering the opening, the flange beingattached at one edge throughout its length to the arm and having theother edge overlapping the body, substantially as described.

5. A clasp comprising a body, an arm connected thereto by a flexibleconnection, the arm being curved on one face and taperflange attached atone edge throughout its length to the arm and having the other edgeoverlapping the body, substantially as described.

6. A clasp comprising a body having an upturned edge on one sidethereof, an arm connected at one end to the body by a flexibleconnection and being separated for the greater part of its length fromthe body by a slot, and a flange overlapping the slot and having oneedge thereof connected throughout its length to the arm and having itsother edge overlapping the upturned edge of the body, substantially asdescribed.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES P. EVANS.

Vitnesses:

ROBERT S. WEEKS, \VILLIAM L. RAYMOND.

Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G.

ing from the connection to its end and a

